Contour shoulder pack



Oct. 17, 1967 RUTH, JR 3,347,429

' CONTOUR SHOULDER PACK Filed Nov. 7, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Oct. 17, H. s RUTH JR CONTOUR SHOULDER PACK- 2 Sheets-Sheet 23 FiledNov. 7, 1965 INVENTOR. 1S. ZPUTHJR United States Patent 3,347,429CONTOUR SHOULDER PACK Harold Stuart Ruth, Jr., 2784 Jackson St., SanFrancisco, Calif. 94115 Filed Nov. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 592,508 6 Claims.(Cl. 224-11) My present invention relates to packsa-cks, rucksacks andthe like such as are used by hikers and more particularly to alightweight packsack assembly of rugged takedown construction havingindividual rigid supporting members that are secured together in a novelmanner without rivets or other securing means by flexible straps.

At the present time the practice is to provide a rigid framework as aseparate unit of the assembly upon which the packsack is secured. Asthus constructed in the past these packsack frames have not been toosatisfactory for the reason that it is difficult to secure such apacksack supporting frame to the body of a user without exposing certainparts of the anatomy to excessive pressures when the packsack is in use.Another difficulty with these prior packsacks is that the frame isgenerally complex in structure and expensive to manufacture. Since theseframes are generally constructed of metal or wooden units which arepermanently secured together, the takedown aspect thereof except for theremoval of the packsack therefrom is not practicable. It is therefore anobject of my invention to provide a packsack with features forming apacksack supporting structure which may be easily assembled anddisassembled in the field without special tools and which when appliedto the back of a wearer will avoid any hard surface contact with thebody, but at the same time secure the packsack in close fitting relationwith the body of the user, with the result that there will be noappreciable relative movements of the packsack either laterally orvertically with respect to the wearer when properly positioned andfinally cinched in place.

Another object of the invention is to provide a packsack of novelconstruction with adjustable shoulder straps which after positioning andsecuring the packsack at the hips of a wearer can be finally drawn intoclose fitting relation at the shoulders of the wearer in a novel andpractical manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a packsack assemblyhaving rigid packsack extending stays with strap accommodating slots andshoulder strap accommodating means, all of which are secured incooperating relation without rivets or other securing means simply by alacing of packsack carrying straps through the slots of said stays in anovel manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rigid packsacksupporting frame having two spaced vertically extending packsack stayswith a transverse spacing stay at the lower ends thereof, all of whichare secured together by the lacing of two packsack carrying strapsthrough the complementary and spaced parallel slots formed at the endsof said spaced vertically extending stays and said transverse spacingstay.

Other objects and advantages wiil be in part evident to those skilled inthe art, and in part pointed out whereinafter in the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings "whereinthere is shown by way of illustration and not of limitation a preferredembodiment of the invention. a

In the accompanying drawing wherein like numerals refer to like partsthroughout the several views- FIGURE 1 illustrates an initial step inthe application of my packsack to the back of a wearer,

FIGURE 2. illustrates a final step in application of the packsack to theback of the wearer,

FIGURES 3 and '4 are perspective views showing the major frame formingstays of the packsack,

3,347,429 Patented Oct. 17, 1967 FIGURE 5 is a perspective view showingthe manner in which the stays of FIGURES 3 and 4 are assembled,

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view showing the [back of the packsack, withthe sack shown for clarity by dot and dash lines,

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing in detail the manner inwhich the packsack is secured at its top to the vertical stays of FIGURE3, and

FIGURE 8 is a similar view showing the vertical and horizontal stays asassembled at the bottom of the packsack.

For a more detailed description of the invention, reference is now madeto the accompanying drawings where in FIGURES l and 2 my improvedpacksack, designated by the numeral 10, is of substantially rectangularform. As here illustrated the packsack 10 has an outer closure flap 11that is defined by a continuous zipper type fastening 12 which extendsover the top and down both sides of the sack 10 so that when opened thepacksack proper can be loaded in much the same manner as would be asuitcase or the like. This provides a very important feature as thevarious articles after being packed will be readily available, whereasif the packsack should be loaded from the top as is presently thepractice the removal of any particular item located at the bottom of thesack 10 would require at least a partial unloading of the sack for thispurpose. The packsack 10 is shown as having side pockets 13 which maytake any particular shape or size depending upon the use to which thepacksack is to be put. For example, in mountaineering the packsack mayhave loops for a pick and/or other devices common in variousmountaineering equipment. The supporting harness for the packsack 10 ishere shown with one of two spaced vertically extending sack supportingstays 14, each of which are secured to the packsack 10 by a continuousstrap 15 that is sewed to the sack with extending ends that are threadedthrough slots 16 and 17, shown in FIGURE 3, as respectively located atthe upper and lower ends thereof with the extending ends secured to thetop and bottom of the packsack by fastening buckles 18. It should bealso noted in these figures of the drawings that the stays 14 are curvedto conform with the curvature of the body of a wearer when the packsackis finally secured upon the back of a hiker. At the lower ends of thespaced vertically extending stays 14 there is a horizontally extendingspacing stay 19 which, as shown in FIGURE 4, has a plurality of strapaccommodating slots 20 that will be complementary to the slots 17 at thelower ends of the stays 14 through which the sack securing straps 15 arethreaded. At its ends this spacing strap 19 also has right angledportions 21 with vertically extending slots 22 through which the reducedends of a saddle forming member are threaded, as will hereinafterappear.

As shown in FIGURE 5, the horizontally extending spacing stay 19 isshown as secured to the spaced vertically extending stays 14 solely by athreading of the packsack securing straps 15 when the packsack isfinally assembled thereupon. At this point, it will also be noted thatthe threading of the packsack securing straps 15 through the slots 17and 20 of the vertically spaced stays 14 and horizontal spacing stay 19is also employed as a means for securing two D-rings 23 to which thecrossed ends of two shoulder straps are secured, as will hereinafterappear.

In FIGURE 6 of the drawings there is shown a coinplete assembly of mypacksack supporting assembly with the packsack 10 shown by dot and dashlines. In this showing and supplemental to what has been previouslydescribed, the D-rings 23 secured at the lower ends of the spacedvertically extending stays 14 by the packsack securing straps 15, serveas fixed terminal points for two crossed shoulder straps 24 and 25 thatare adapted and arranged to extend over the right and left shoulders ofa hiker. At their other ends the shoulder encircling portions of thestraps 24 and 25 pass freely and respectively through loops 26 and 27carried by snap fasteners 28 and form terminal points for the shoulderstraps. After passing freely through the loops 26 and 27 of the snapfasteners 28, these shoulder straps 24 and 25 extend upwardlyrespectively as portions of 29 and 30 which are looped at their upperends through two cinching Drings 30 and 31 to form what may properly becalled rip-cords 32 which, as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 of thedrawings, will operate to cinch and secure the packsack firmly againstthe back of a user. As in the case of the D-rings 23, the cinchingD-rings 30 and 31 at the upper ends of the spaced vertical stays 14 arealso held by the threading of the packsack securing straps through theslots 16 at the upper ends of the spaced stays 14.

With particular reference to FIGURE 6, it will be noted that the rightangle extensions 21 at the ends of the horizontal spacing stay 19 withtheir spaced vertically extending slots 22 provide a means for securinga flexible non-metallic saddle forming member 33 in cooperating relationwith the stays 14. The member 33 may be formed of webbing or othermaterial similar to that employed for the bag securing and shoulderencircling straps 15, 24 and 25. This saddle forming member 33 as hereshown is of a width substantially corresponding to that of thehorizontal spacing stay 19 and at its ends there are extending portions34 and 35 of reduced width so that they may be threaded through thespaced slots 22. In this manner the body engaging portion of the saddle33 may be provided with suflicient slackness to afford a comfortable fitwith the body of the wearer. Included in this lacing as in the case ofthe D-rings 23, 30 and 31, these extensions 34 and 35 of the saddlemember 33 are also employed in the manner to secure rings 36 by whichthe snap fasteners 28 of the shoulder straps 24 and are secured when thepacksack is in use. As is also shown the reduced ends 34 of 35 areprovided of sufficient length so that with a buckle 37 these portionswill form a waist encircling belt for securing the lower end of the packframe to the back of the wearer. In FIGURES 7 and 8 of the drawingsthere is shown, in substantially full size dimensions, the lacings ofthe pack securing strap 15 at the upper and lower ends of the verticallyextending pack supporting stays 14. These straps 15, as noted above, aresewed throughout a major portion of their length by a stitching 38 andthey are preferably of a belt-type woven webbing.

Referring back to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be seen thatthe mounting of the pack on the back of a wearer is a comparativelysimple operation. With the shoulder straps 24 and 25 in a slackcondition, the user will first position the horizontal stay 19 with thesaddle forming member 33 at a point just above the hips of the body andafter placing his arms through the shoulder straps while in a ratherslack condition as shown in FIG- URE 1, he can as a final operation drawthe packsack into a form fitting contour by pulling on the rip cordportion 29. This will operate to not only tighten the shoulder straps 24and 25 over the shoulders but will also draw the top of the packsack 10into substantial conformity with the back of a wearer. With the packsack10 thus secured there will be no hard or solid body engaging frameportions such as make the compacts of the prior art so uncomfortable towear. In other words, the packsack 10 proper will be held firmly againstthe body of the wearer with substantially no relative movement resultingfrom the normal movements of the body in walking. As indicated in thesefigures of the drawings the shoulder straps '24 and 25 may if desired toprovided with slidable shoulder pads 39.

While I have, for the sake of clearness and in order to disclose myinvention so that the same can be readily understood, described andillustrated specific forms and arrangements, I desire to have itunderstood that this invention is not limited to the specific formsdisclosed, but may be embodied in other ways that will suggestthemselves to persons skilled in the art. It is believed that thisinvention is new and all such changes as come within the scope of theappended claims are to be considered as part of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. In a packsack for campers, hikers and the like, the combination of apacksack for containing articles to be carried, two packsack securingstraps sewed in spaced parallel relation to the back of said packsackwith free ends extending, a vertically extending rigid stay overlayingeach of said straps having a plurality of transverse slots at their endsthrough which the free ends of said straps are laced to secure saidstays to the packsack, said packsack securing straps after lacingthrough the transversely extending lots at the upper and lower ends ofsaid stays being secured by buckles to the top and bottom of saidpacksack, a D-ring secured at the lower ends of each of said verticallyextending rigid stays by said strap lacing, a shoulder strap extendingupwardly from each of said D-rings and crossed to pass over an oppositeshoulder of a user, snap hooks each having a strap accommodating loopthrough which said shoulder straps may pass from the D-rings at thelower ends of said vertically extending rigid stays, a pair ofstrap-cinching D-rings secured at the upper ends of said stays by saidstrap lacing, and characterized by the fact that said shoulder strapsafter passing over the shoulders of a user are doubled back through theloops of said snap hooks to said strap-cinching D-rings, whereby saidpack may be drawn into firm contact with the back of a user while heldextended by said vertically extending stays.

2. In a packsack for campers, hikers and the like, the combination of apacksack for containing articles to be carried, two packsack securingstraps sewed in spaced parallel relation to the back of said packsackwith free ends extending, a vertically extending rigid stay overlayingeach of said straps having a plurality of transverse slots at their endsthrough which the free ends of said straps are laced to secure saidstays to the packsack, a horizontally extending spacing stay at thelower ends of said vertical stays having matching slots through whichthe extending ends of said spaced vertically extending straps are alsothreaded, said packsack securing straps after lacing through thetransversely extending slots at the upper and lower ends of said staysbeing secured by buckles to the top and bottom of said packsack, aD-ring secured at the lower ends of each of said vertically extendingrigid stays by said strap lacing, a shoulder strap extending upwardlyfrom each of said D-rings and crossed to pass over an opposite shoulderof a user, snap hooks each having a strap accommodating loop throughwhich said shoulder straps may pass from the D-rings at the lower endsof said vertically extending rigid stays, a pair of strap-cinchingD-rings secured at the upper ends of said stays by said strap lacing,and characterized by the fact that said shoulder straps after passingover the shoulders of a user are doubled back through the loops of saidsnap hooks to said strap-cinching D-rings, whereby said pack may bedrawn into firm contact with the back of a user while held extended bysaid verticaly extending stays.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 2, characterized by the fact thatthe horizontally extending spacing stay when secured at the lower endsof said vertical stays has outwardly extending right angled portionswith spaced vertically extending slots, and a saddle forming member offlexible material having strap like ends secured over said extendingright-angled portions by a threading of the strap like ends thereofthrough the spaced vertically extending slots of said right-angledportions.

4. The invention as set forth in claim 3, characterized by the fact thatsaid horizontally extending spacing stay has right angled extensionswith strap accommodating slots, and a flexible saddle forming bandextending between said right angled extensions with the ends thereoflaced through said slots, and characterized further by the fact that thelacing at the ends of said saddle forming band also secures D-rings towhich snap hooks at the front ends of said shoulder straps are attachedwhen the packsack is in use.

5. The invention as set forth in claim 2, characterized by the fact thatsaid vertically extending stays and said horizontally extending spacingstay and the packsack are all secured together solely by a lacing of thepacksack securing straps through the spaced and matching slots of saidstays.

6. The invention as set forth in claim 1, characterizec by the fact thatthe outer wall of said sack is defined by a zipper extending aroundthree sides thereof, whereby the packsack may be completely openedthroughout one side for packing.

References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 908,270 8/1945 (France. 979,142 12/1950 France.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner. R. J. SPAR, Assistant Examiner.

2. IN A PACKSACK FOR CAMPERS, HIKERS AND THE LIKE, THE COMBINATION OF APACKSACK FOR CONTAINING ARTICLES TO BE CARRIED, TWO PACKSACK SECURINGSTRAPS SEWED IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATION TO THE BACK OF SAID PACKSACKWITH FREE ENDS EXTENDING, A VERTICALLY EXTENDING RIGID STAY OVERLAYINGEACH OF SAID STRAPS HAVING A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSE SLOTS AT THEIR ENDSTHROUGH WHICH THE FREE ENDS OF SAID STRAPS ARE LACED TO SECURE SAIDSTAYS TO THE PACKSACK, A HORIZONTALLT EXTENDING SPACING STAY FAT THELOWER ENDS OF SAID VERTICAL STAYS HAVING MATCHING SLOTS THROUGH WHICHTHE EXTENDING ENDS OF SAID SPACED VERTICALLY EXTENDING STRAPS ARE ALSOTHREADED, SAID PACKSACK SECURING STRAPS AFTER LACING THROUGH THETRANSVERSING EXTENDING SLOTS AT THE UPPER AND LOWER ENDS OF SAID STAYSBEING SECURED BY BUCKLES TO THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF SAID PACKSACK, AD-RING SECURED AT THE LOWER ENDS OF EACH OF SAID VERTICALLY EXTENDINGRIGID STAYS BY SAID STRAP LACING, A SHOULDER STRAP EXTENDING UPWARDLYFROM EACH OF SAID D-RINGS AND CROSSED TO PASS OVER AND OPPOSITE SHOULDEROF A USER, SNAP HOOKS EACH HAVING A STRAP ACCOMMODATING LOOP THROUGHWHICH SAID SHOULDER STRAP MAY PASS FROM THE D-RINGS AT THE LOWER ENDS OFSAID VERTICALLY EXTENDING RIGID STAYS, A PAIR OF STRAP-CINCHING D-RINGSSECURED AT THE UPPER ENDS OF SAID STAYS BY SAID STRAP LACING, ANDCHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT SAID SHOULDER STRAPS AFTER PASSING OVERTHE SHOULDERS OF A USER ARE DOUBLED BACK THROUGH THE LOOPS OF SAID SNAPHOOKS TO SAID STRAP-CINCHING D-RINGS, WHEREBY SAID PACK MAY BE DRAWNINTO FIRM CONTACT WITH THE BACK OF A USER WHILE HELD EXTENDED BY SAIDVERTICALLY EXTENDING STAYS.